Virginia No-Hits Syracuse Twice In Doubleheader Sweep

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The pitching staff combined for a pair of no-hitters on Saturday (April 12) as Virginia (29-13, 10-7 ACC) swept a doubleheader with Syracuse (22-18, 3-14) at Palmer Park. Virginia won the first game 5-0 before taking a run-rule 10-0 victory in game two.

GAME 1
VIRGINIA 5, SYRACUSE 0
Virginia got on the board in the first when Macee Eaton flared a ball to left that dropped in front of the diving left fielder to score Jade Hylton from second.

The Hoos added two more runs in the second when Kelly Ayer dropped a ball into shallow center that got by the center fielder as she went to scoop it on the run. Kelsey Hackett and Jade Hylton scored on the play to make it a 3-0 Virginia lead.

MC Eaton extended the lead to 5-0 with a two-run home run in the sixth inning to cap the scoring.

Julia Cuozzo (5-1) picked up the win with 5.1 innings of work in the start, scattering four walks and five strikeouts through that time. Eden Bigham picked up the save as she worked the final 1.2 innings with a walk.

Madison Knight (9-9) took the loss for Syracuse, allowing the five runs – four of them earned – on six hits with four walks and two strikeouts.

GAME 2
VIRGINIA 10, SYRACUSE 0 (5 INNINGS)
The Cavaliers got off to a quick start with a grand slam from Sarah Coon in the first inning. Three straight singles opened the inning before an infield fly put the first out on the board and brought Coon to the plate. She drove the 0-1 pitch over the wall in left center and put the Hoos up 4-0.

Virginia extended the lead with a six-run third inning. After loading the bases with one out, a single from Kailyn Jones, a double from Jade Hylton and a sac fly from Kelly Ayer broke the game open. The inning was capped with a two-RBI single from Macee Eaton.

Courtney Layne (3-0) picked up the win as she worked 3.0 innings with a walk and a strikeout. Ava Hodges closed out the final 2.0 innings.

Julianna Verni (9-6) took the loss, allowing eight runs on eight hits with two walks and a strikeout in 2.1 innings of work.

NOTING THE HOOS
• Julia Cuozzo’s five strikeouts in game one was a career high in a career-long 5.1 innings of work for the RHP.
• Eden Bigham set the program save record in game one with her 11th career save and sixth of the season.
• Sarah Coon’s grand slam in game two was her first career grand slam and 24th career home run to move her into a tie for 10th all-time at Virginia.
• Macee Eaton brought her RBI total to 51 which places her third all-time in single-season RBI at Virginia.

FROM HEAD COACH JOANNA HARDIN
“Our pitching staff got us going from the start with some really efficient innings. When you can put two no-hitters in one day it alleviates a lot of pressure on your team. Offensively, we scratched and clawed to get people on and were really scrappy and competitive. It’s been a grind on the road and we’re happy to be back home playing in front of our fans. We know we’re going to have to bring it again tomorrow. Syracuse is scrappy and we know they will come out hungry tomorrow.”

UP NEXT FOR THE HOOS
Virginia and Syracuse close out the weekend series at 1 p.m. on Sunday (April 13).